alex speier

Imperfect resolution awaits Lowell situation

As of now, according to a baseball source, a resolution of the Mike Lowell situation is not expected today, but in the next day or two, some determination about how to proceed with the corner infielder seems likely.
The Red Sox have been trying to trade Lowell since last winter, most notably in the trade with the Rangers that fell apart due to concerns with the 36-year-old’s right hip. While the team initially envisioned a role for Lowell this year, chiefly as a right-handed complement to David Ortiz and as a backup to Adrian Beltre and Kevin Youkilis, the re-emergence of Ortiz as a lineup force limited the role of the 2007 World Series MVP.
Lowell had become a seldom-used bench option by late-June, when he went on the disabled list due to concerns about his hip. At the time, while there were health concerns about his hip, there was also a general discomfort on the part of both the player and the team about Lowell’s role.
At Lowell’s request, according to the source, he began a minor league rehab assignment (following a cortisone injection in his right hip) with Triple-A Pawtucket on July 22. Yet as he was playing, there was still no certainty about what kind of role, if any, he would have on the Red Sox at the conclusion of the rehab assignment.
The Sox explored trades to send Lowell elsewhere during that time and up to the trade deadline. Without identifying the specifics, the source said that there were “a couple” of trade possibilities in recent days that looked like they might come to fruition. (Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com has reported that there were talks about a three-way deal that would have sent Lowell to the Yankees via the Rangers.)
Yet those fell apart, and so Lowell remains on the disabled list with the Sox, leading to the uncertainty about how to proceed. It has become apparent that there will not be a perfect solution – presumably, a trade that would satisfy Lowell’s desire for playing time and that would give the Sox a meaningful return.
Given the medical concerns about Lowell, it has become nearly impossible to find such a trade, explaining why he is still a member of the Red Sox. As was the case with the Rangers (and some other clubs that have inquired about his availability), it appears that even if the Sox were to agree to the players and money involved in a deal with another club, medicals could prevent a trade from being finalized.
And so the two sides are working to determine the least imperfect solution. There are different alternatives being discussed.
--Though he has completed a rehab assignment, there is medical justification to leave him on the disabled list.
--He could be activated immediately, but that would a) thrust him into the same role that was distasteful earlier in the year and b) require the Sox to make a corresponding roster move that they would not want to make.
--He could be activated on Sept. 1, which would mean that Lowell would have to languish while inactive over the rest of this month and then, assuming he was placed on the Sox’ big-league roster, he would still likely be in an unsatisfying role. But, that would permit the Sox to keep their full complement of players rather than having to designate someone like Darnell McDonald or Eric Patterson.
--Assuming he cleared trade waivers (nearly a foregone conclusion), he could be dealt to another club, though given the inability to deal him before the deadline, it remains to be seen whether there is a deal to be struck.
--He could be released. This would represent a best-case scenario for Lowell, since he would be free to find the best possible situation, and with the cost of acquiring his services diminished, the interest in him -- medical risks and all -- would likely grow.
In theory, the Sox would prefer to avoid dealing a player within the division. But, if all other options are exhausted, the team would consider atypical scenarios, including trading within the division. At this point, given the barriers that have existed to an acceptable resolution, it seems all but certain that the team would be willing to move Lowell in the division.
But, for now, there has not been a final determination about how to proceed, and so Lowell and the team may remain in an uncomfortable limbo at least through Monday.

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